


Land of Smoke and Bones

by nefertaricezn



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:01:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22643779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nefertaricezn/pseuds/nefertaricezn
Summary: Four hundred years ago, Acnologia was happy. He had someone he loved more than anything. She was his best friend and his partner. Then it all changed when  a dragon he thought was their protector turned on them and attacked. As far as he knew, she was dead.
Relationships: Acnologia (Fairy Tail)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im trying.

**Acnologia**

He sat upon his throne of lies, a throne built upon the deaths of all he knew, the friends he once had and the love he once shared. He had lost it all nearly four hundred years ago, but the memory of  _ her  _ was still fresh in his mind. The memory of her sweet smile was a stinging, stabbing pain in the back of his mind, reminding him of the people he failed to protect. Now, he was determined to wipe the world of the very beings that took her, and so many others, from him. 

The memory of that day was a bleak, vague memory, washed away by the years of rage and killing. He remembered leaving her to care for the other patients, it was only a moment elsewhere, but then he heard it. The roars, the screams, the destruction that followed shortly afterwards. He never saw her body, he was sure of that memory, but everything was destroyed, he didn’t even bother with looking. He assumed she was dead, and had every right to believe so. No one else was able to survive, so why her?

As far as his memory could take him after so long, her memory was the only vivid image he had left. It was what fueled his ever growing rage and lust for blood as he killed dragon after dragon, seeking comfort in the fact that they could never harm another person again, or perhaps it was just his mind enjoying the bloodshed. Perhaps he was just seeking justification for killing so many. 

It didn’t matter. He would kill anyone who stood in his path, even if it meant losing his mind to the inevitable darkness that corrupted him each time he killed. Killing may not bring her back, but it sure did feel great to him. 

His nose twitched curiously, smelling something - someone - getting closer to where he had stopped to rest. It reeked of dragon, but he said nothing more, waiting to see who it might have been. 

Acnologia lifted his head, eyes settling on a little girl who teetered her way closer to him, stopping just before him as she craned her neck to look up at him. 

He noticed a ribbon, a gold ribbon, that was holding her hair back and it smelled, smelled of someone he knew. He couldn’t exactly put his finger on it, but he knew it belonged to someone he had once known.

“What are you doing in my hideout, Mister?” She questioned, tugging at the hem of her skirt. “No one but me is allowed here!”

He remained quiet, dark eyes scrutinizing her small form. She couldn’t be any older than eight, but no less than six. He was more focused on the ribbons, however, his mind working overtime as he tried to remember who it was. 

“Mister? Are you okay?” She tilted her head, moving to rest her hand against his knee. 

He grabbed her wrist, grip tight before it loosened at the sight of her face. “Your ribbons. Where did you get them?”

“Huh? Some lady gave them to me, Mister!” She wiggled in his grip, whining slightly until he put her down. “Miss. Nala was her name I think! She was looking for someone, she was really eager to get out of town and find him!”

That name sounded familiar to him, but he couldn’t quite figure it out. His frustration rang clear as he stood, storming towards the entrance of the cave as the child teetered after him with confusion on her face. 

“Where did she go?” He looked down at her, gaze drifting to the city below. “Is she still here?”

“No, sir! She left a few days ago, I think. Gave me these ribbons and a cute little dragon toy! I can bring you to where she stayed, if you’d like!” She chirped, unaware of the threat that the man posed to both her and the city. 

His interest was sparked by then, but he had not yet figured out who she was. “Very well. Take me to where she stayed.”

It wasn’t his favorite thing to partner up with a child to find this mysterious scent, but it was better than sitting in boredom, waiting for something interesting to happen. He would pick up the scent of this woman, and then track her down. It would entertain him until he found something better to do with his time. 

The small girl grabbed his hand, something he hadn’t expected, and grinned up at him. “I’m Salem! What’s your name, Mister?”

He was rigid and tried to remove his hand from hers, but she just about latched on to him, so with a huff, he told her his name and practically threatened her into taking him to where this Nala woman had last been. He was determined to put an end to such a bothersome mystery. 


	2. Chapter Two

**Acnologia**

The town was absolutely disgusting, and what was even worse was that some little girl was tugging him around, leading him through all the people that crowded the streets. He could kill them all if he really wanted to, there wasn’t anything to stop him either, but this little girl seemed excited to have found a new “friend”, though that wasn’t a term he’d use to describe the two of them.

“Miss Nala is super cool! I think she’d like you quite a bit, Mister!” Salem kept her hand loosely in his, hoping that in doing so, she wouldn’t lose him. “She’s got super awesome dragon magic!”

So she was a dragon slayer, hm? This piqued his interest far more than he had expected this little hunt to go, perhaps this would turn into something a lot more, a lot more….  _ bloody _ than he had first planned. It was a welcome surprise to say the least.

-

_ “I don’t trust that dragon, you know.” She looked at Acnologia, lips pursed in obvious discomfort. “Dragons in general make me uneasy, but that one makes me uncomfortable. Why do you put up with him?” _

_ “He is our divine protector. Because of him, we are beyond safe.” The doctor looked at the woman, indifferent towards her distrust in the dragon. “He will protect us and all that we stand for.” _

_ “There is such a thing as being too safe, you know. We can only heal so much. What would we do if he turned on us?” She questioned.  _

_ “He won’t. He will protect us.”  _

-

His eyes narrowed at the brief memory, remembering far more than he would have liked. There was a more vivid image of the woman from so long ago and it filled him with anger, with a rage he had not felt since the age of the dragons. She was dead, but why did she have to die? 

“Mister? Are you okay?” Salem tugged at his hand, noticing that he had stopped moving. 

Acnologia looked down at her. “Do you like dragons?” 

She tilted her head, puzzled. “Only the one Miss Nala talks about! He’s super cool! She says he’s big, and has blue markings along his body! Like you, Mister!” She pointed to the dark blue markings on his skin, a big grin on her face. “Other dragons are scary! Nuh-uh!”

“They can be quite scary, huh?” He didn’t stay still for long, picking up on her scent. “Dragon’s are terrible creatures. They destroy everything in their wake, not even bothering to spare the innocent.”

“Hm, okay, Mister!” She tapped his hand comfortingly. “You don’t like dragons much, do you?”

“They took something from me, something I loved. I made them pay.” He kept it at that as he followed the scent through the ever bustling market when he felt someone was watching, someone who he felt would be a nuisance later on. 

“Mister, why do you want to find Miss Nala?” Salem yawned, oblivious to the potential danger that was steadily approaching them. 

He paused, his gaze drifting to the small girl. “There is someone watching us.” 

“Oh, that would be Mister Shou. He’s the head of this town’s division of rune knights.” She chirped, looking up at him curiously. “They can tell you’re very strong.”

That was enough to set him off. He would’ve attacked right then and there, but he was not like them. He was not like the dragons that killed innocent children, he would not stoop so low as to commit such an act. Despite his better judgement, he continued onwards, ducking into the crowd as he struggled to keep her scent fresh in his mind. 

Salem held onto him tightly now, as if feeling the inner turmoil that waged in his mind. Whatever it was she was aiming to do seemed to work as his focus returned to the trail of Nala, but it wasn’t enough to calm him entirely as he quickened his pace and took abrupt turns towards the alleyways of the marketplace. 

“You should return to your parents, kid.” He peered over the corner, watching the knights slowly approach the alley. 

“I don’t have any parents, Mister. Just you!” She moved to latch onto his leg, looking at the knights with nervousness. “Can we go now, Mister? They’re gonna hurt you!”

He looked down at her, thinking. She knew Nala, so if he took her with him, she could lead her to him. If he lost her scent, he would have her ribbons, so perhaps this could be mutually beneficial. He wasn’t too keen on travelling anywhere with a child, however. 

“Where are you staying?” He questioned, tugging her along as he moved further into the maze of alleyways and deadends. 

Salem’s eyes perked up at his words and she happily took his hand and pulled him along, her quick feet moving to work as they raced against the knights. 

When she stopped, she tugged Acnologia through a rather run down hallway. She led him into a room that had a small mattress in the corner that had some books on it complete with the dragon toy she had spoken of. In short, he decided her home sucked. 

“It smells like her.” He sniffed around before plopping to sit on the ground, legs crossed. “Was Nala here?”

“Yep, yep! She kept me company while she was here, it was nice having someone to talk to.” She sat down and held the dragon toy tightly, nuzzling her face in it. 

Acnologia watched, noting the keen similarities the toy had with his dragon form. Perhaps this…. Nala was a lot more mysterious than he took her for. He wondered just how much she knew of him if she knew what he was. What more could she know about him? 

“I need to find her. Will you come with me to help me track her down?” He furrowed his brow as he watched her, making sure to appear as nice as physically possible. 

Her eyes lit up and she nodded quickly. “Yes! Yes! I would love to come with you, Mister! We could do so much like….like…..” She looked down before shrugging. “I don’t know.”

“We’ll have to leave soon. Take what you need, leave what you don’t.” He gestured to the general room since there wasn’t much for her to take anyways. 

“If I leave my books, can you tell me super cool and awesome stories?” She looked at him, eyes wide and curious. 

He wasn’t accustomed to such a thing. A child had never looked at him with such curiosity before, such adoration and love for someone she had just met. Someone who she knew so little about. 

-

_ “Come on!” She tugged on his hands, smiling at him. “We deserve a little downtime, darling. It’s been too long since we last relaxed!” _

_ “Skinny dipping in your pool isn’t much of what I would call relaxing.” Acnologia laughed lightly, allowing the small woman to pull him towards the water. “You and I have  _ very  _ different meanings of relaxation.”  _

_ “Babe, live a little. You can’t go around being a doctor all day, you know.” She tugged him into the water, letting go of him and sinking into the cool water until only her head was visible.  _

_ He scoffed lightly but trudged into the water, a playful smile on his face as he splashed her in the face.  _

_ The woman gasped lightly at that and squealed, splashing him back to get revenge. _

-

“Mister? Are you okay, Mister? You did that thing again.” Salem waved her hand in front of his face, continuing to do so even after he had reacted. 

Acnologia grabbed her hand. “Is that really necessary? I am clearly paying attention to you, you don’t need to wave your hand in my face.”

“But you did that thing again! You just kind of stopped paying attention and started daydreaming! What were you thinking about, Mister?” She leaned forward, hoping he would tell her. 

He narrowed his eyes at the girl. “It’s none of your concern. Just get ready to leave. I don’t plan on staying here for much longer.” 

Salem stood there, clearly not believing him. “Was it a girl? You were thinking about a girl, huh?” She seemed a bit giddy to imagine that her angry friend would have himself a lady friend. 

“No. I was not thinking about a  _ girl _ .” He scoffed, hiding the true nature of the memories that were resurfacing. “You’re too young to know about that sort of thing.”

“It was a girl.” She nodded, teetering in front of him. “I’m ready to go Mister!”

He doubted a measly dragon toy could ever protect her from the real thing, nor would a toy protect her from what he or any other mage out there could do if they so wanted to. The fact that he could just see himself snapping and killing the little girl proved just how much like  _ them _ he had become. It was sickening to him. 

He just stood up and breezed past the open door into the hall. He knew she was following him, mostly because her tiny hand had latched onto his again. He wasn’t all too keen on travelling with a child, but as he thought about it, she could be the only key to finding Nala. 


	3. Chapter Three

**Acnologia**

The edge of the city was quiet. No one bothered them, or approached, either for fear of the power that Acnologia exuded or the fact that they just simply minded their own business. But as long as they were on their way, he did not care much for the people around him.

Salem was humming a small tune as they walked, running ahead slightly as she waved her toy around as if it were a true dragon that was flying in the air. 

Acnologia found it humorous that the girl be so interested in this toy of hers, unaware of the dragon that lurked beneath her very nose. Or above her nose since was extremely tiny compared to him, but either way, she was blissfully unaware of the danger that walked behind her. 

He wondered if this was what it was like for those dragons, knowing you had all this power to kill and destroy but instead of using it, you befriended the very creatures you were going to kill. This must’ve been what the dragons felt before they killed everyone that resided in Montes Secreta. Everyone except for him. 

He didn’t want to be like them, to be as pathetic and weak minded as they were. It was a thought that lingered at the back of his mind with the hatred and scathing rage towards the dragon that was his namesake. He hated them all, but now that they were all dead, his hatred had nowhere else to go and burrowed deep in his mind.

Watching Salem run about as he walked was a situation he wasn’t quite sure of, some part of him just wanted to send her back and continue this alone as he had always done since Montes Secreta, but she knew Nala. She knew this mysterious woman far better than he does, and with the recurring memories he had thought were lost, he was at a loss for what to do.

“Mister! Mister! Look, it’s the ocean! Can we go and play for a little bit?” Salem excitedly pointed at the water, hoping the disgruntled man would spare some time to play. 

“No. We can’t lose her trail.” He shook his head and continued onwards, letting the girl lag behind. “Perhaps later.”

Salem perked up and quickly scampered forward, hanging onto his arm. “You’re super cool, Mister! Like my dragon here! He’ll protect us both!” She held her toy up to show him before hopping around, pretending to fly alongside it. 

“I highly doubt a toy dragon can protect you. It does nothing but…. sit there and be useless.” He waved his hand dismissively. “A toy can’t protect you from anything.”

“....You must’ve had a sad life to think that way, Mister.” She patted his arm in a meek attempt to make him feel better. “Don’t you ever get lonely? My dragon makes me feel like I’m not alone anymore.”

“I prefer being alone.” He answered simply. “I don’t like people.”

“But you like me, Mister, right? I’m not like people! I’m really nice when I want to be.” She looked up at him, waiting for an answer that wouldn’t make her cry. 

He fell silent, deciding how he truly felt. “I’m letting you come with me.” And that was all the information he had offered her, letting her decide whether he liked her friendship or not. 

They continued walking in silence as Salem eagerly ran around him, making small noises that she believed a dragon would make. He remained quiet as he watched her, making sure she wouldn’t stray too far and lose Nala’s scent. 

When the sun began to set, Acnologia stopped and made a small camp beneath a tree, sitting down against it as he got a fire going. Salem settled down beside him, looking up at him every now and again to see if he would say anything. 

“Can you tell me a story, Mister?” She neatly placed her dragon in her lap, peering up at him with the best puppy dog eyes she could muster.

“A story? Why? Those are for babies.” He scoffed, tossing a stick into the fire as it burned and flickered with life. 

She furrowed her brow before looking at the fire. She inhaled sharply before blowing at the fire, instantly putting it out. She then looked at him, waiting patiently for him to respond. 

Acnologia blinked at the quick use of magic. “I could just let you sit out here in the cold for doing that, you know.” He grumbled and started rekindling the fire. 

“Please tell me a story! I’ll shut up and stop bothering me if you do!” She whined, tugging on his arm. “Please?”

“Once upon a time ago, there was a man who nearly killed a little girl because she wouldn’t stop annoying him. The end.” He rolled his eyes, sighing when he got the fire going again. He heard her sniffle and sighed. “Fine, fine. I’ll tell you a story, but only if you promise to not bother me.”

She nodded quickly and sat facing him, excited to hear what story he had to offer.

“Once upon a time ago, there was some dumb town that was above the clouds. No one else knew it was there and it was nice for awhile. There was a dragon who protected the land, kept it safe from whatever would pose a threat. He made friends with this doctor. Now, this doctor had a friend, a lady friend who felt this dragon was….dangerous. She doubted he would protect us. Did the doctor listen?” He looked at the girl and nodded when she shook her head. “He did not. The dragon went away one day and when he came back, he and all his friends killed everyone, including the doctor’s friend. The end.”

“That’s so sad, Mister! Isn't there a happy ending?” She tilted her head to the side, her auburn curls falling in front of her face. “There’s got to be a happy ending!”

“Happy endings don’t exist, kid. Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.” He shook his head, staring at the fire with rage burning in his soul. “It’s just an endless cycle of pain and annoyance.”

“That’s not true! Life isn’t all that bad! You just need a shove in the right direction to show you that!” She patted his arm, smiling. “Wanna be friends?”

“Why?” He looked at her.

“Because you need a friend, Mister! You’re all by yourself and no one should live life all by themselves!” She pouted lightly, grabbing her dragon to hand it to him. “You’re very obviously lonely, Mister. You need him more than I do.”

He stared down at the toy, bewildered by her kindness, but also by the similarities she bore to the woman from his distant memories. She was small, yet her kindness was far beyond her size. He was unsure, uncertain. How could one be so kind in the face of someone like him?

“Thank you.” He looked down at the toy, the uncanny resemblance it held towards his dragon form. “But you’re the one who needs him most. He’s your dragon after all.”

He returned the toy to her before laying down with his back towards her, hinting that he was done talking for the day. He wasn’t sure what Salem had decided to do after that, but he just closed his eyes and drifted off. 

-

Late into the night, Acnologia was woken up by the cold air and the faint chatter of teeth against teeth. He looked behind him and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see Salem, shivering in the cold. 

He was not kind, by any means, but he was not cruel to a child. He was not like them, the ones who so willingly killed a child, left her for dead. He would not be like them. He had done many bad things, killed many people, and even set villages and towns ablaze. One thing he’d never do, though, was harm this little girl. She had shown him kindness like he had never seen, not in a long time.

He removed his cloak, leaving the necklace of dragon’s teeth against his skin, before lazily laying it across Salem’s small form. He didn’t mind the cold, it never really bothered him all that much. 

She snuggled into the cloak, bringing her dragon close to her chest. She seemed less bothered by the cold and that was enough to let Acnologia return to slumber. This time, however, he laid down facing her. 

-

Acnologia woke up just as the sun began to rise, heading down to the river northeast of where they were staying to fetch some food. He wasn’t entirely sure if she liked fish, but he’d eat it if she didn’t and she could eat when they reached the next town. 

When he came back and set up the fire to cook the fish, she had stirred, but hadn’t completely woken up. He left her alone and just waited as the fish cooked.

This was new to him, caring for an entirely different being was nothing like he had imagined it would be. If his memory served him right, it was always that mystery woman who had taken care of him. It was mutual, however, but she had always been his key, his anchor. She was dead now, nothing could ever change that. 

“Mister?” Salem yawned from behind him, sitting up slowly. “Is that fish…?”

Acnologia glanced behind him. “Yes. I wasn’t sure what you wanted for breakfast.” He returned his gaze to the fish, flipping them over. He remained quiet, even when she draped his cloak around his shoulders.

“What are we gonna do today?” She chirped, legs folded as she poked at the fish. 

He swatted her hands away. “We’ll eat and then follow her scent like we did yesterday. She’s a lot closer than she was yesterday.”

“You’ve got a super cool nose, Mister.” She nodded, pouting when he swatted her hands away. “Mister? Why do you want to find her?”

“She reminds me of someone I used to know. Someone from quite a long time ago.” He responded, wrapping one of the fish up in a leaf to make it easier to hold before handing it to Salem. 

“Was it the lady friend from your story, Mister?” She tilted her head, sitting down beside him as she munched on her fish. 

“I don’t quite remember. It’s been so long, I suppose.” He picked his fish up, staring at it as he took a rather generous bite out of it. 

-

_She peppered kisses over his cheek, giggling. “Happy birthday, honey!”_

_He rolled his eyes at her giggly behavior and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist as he blew out the candles of his cake. In a quick movement, he dragged a finger along the icing of the cake and poked her nose._

_“You’re the cutest little lady I’ve ever seen.” He mused, a warm smile on his face._

_“I know! I don’t know how you put up with all my cuteness.” She scrunched up her face before wiping the icing off. “I love you.”_

_“I love you too, N -”_

-

Acnologia blinked, this particular memory making him wonder just what her name was. Could it be the woman he was chasing down now? Could Nala be the woman from the distant memories? He wasn’t too sure, the face of the woman in his memories always being blurred, but the seed of hope had been planted and damn did he feel it.

“You loved your lady friend a lot, didn’t you?” She took small nibbles of her fish as she kept her gaze on her dragon. 

“What makes you say that, kid?” He looked at her, mid bite into the fish. 

“Just the way you zoned out and you kinda got all sad, and happy at the same time.” She shrugged, jabbing a finger into his face. “Your face kinda did that weird thing where you want to smile but you don’t.”

He swatted her hand away from his face. “It did no such thing. You’re seeing things.” He scoffed and quickly finished his fish before tossing the bones aside and kicking dirt over the fire to put it out. He wouldn’t show just what he could do any time soon. 

“It’s okay to miss someone, Mister! I miss my parents too.” She looked down, clutching her dragon. “But I’ve got you now, and you have me! We don’t have to feel lonely ever again!”

“Everyone ends up alone.” Came his response, but he didn’t argue with the notion that she was now someone “he had”. 

Salem only playfully punched him before standing up. She kicked dirt onto the already dimmed fire and stopped on it before, with hands on her hips, she looked at him with a big grin on her face. 

“Let’s go, Mister! We’ve got a lady to hunt down!” She extended a hand to him, but he stood up without her help. 

He dusted himself off before going on his way. “She’s moving, faster than before. She’s on a train.” He shivered at the very thought of getting on a train, but anything was better than revealing his dragon form at this point. 

“Trains! I love trains!” She bounced on her feet, happily running around him. “Can we go? Can we go? Please? Please!”

He sighed. “That makes one of us, kid. Let’s go. I’d like to make the train to wherever she’s going before nightfall.” He waved his hand dismissively. 

“You don’t like trains? Why not?” She held his hand, swinging it between them before he kept his hand rigid, keeping her from swinging their hands any further. 

“No. Dragon slayers don’t fare well on trains. I don’t understand why she got onto a train if she has dragon magic.” He grumbled, shaking his head. 

Salem gasped loudly before violently shaking his arm. “You’ve got dragon magic, too, Mister?” She practically shouted it so loud, he was sure that dreaded town of Magnolia could hear her. 

“I do have dragon magic.” He made it very clear that he refused to talk about the subject any further.

He wasn’t ashamed of what he had done, far from it. He revelled in the people’s fear when his name arose, and the screams of terror they gave him. He enjoyed it all, but to know someone who knows nothing of who you are was refreshing. He hated people, truly he did, but she reminded him of that mysterious memory. She reminded him of a time he had so desperately wanted to forget, but now he so desperately wanted to remember.

Montes Secreta was a time he wanted to go back to, to fix what he could not before. To end a life before it could end her.


	4. Chapter Four

**Acnologia**

The train was terrible. It was hell on wheels and oh how he wanted his life to just end faster than this train could move. This was a terrible idea and if he caught up to that elusive Nala, he’d make her pay for this. 

Hunched over and practically dead, Acnologia pressed his warm face against the cool window, hoping it would ease the riot his head was having and the somersaults his stomach was doing. This was humiliating and excruciating. 

He was sprawled out across the bench seat, hoping to whatever divine being existed that this hell would just end. 

“Jeez, Mister. Are you dead?” Salem poked and prodded at his otherwise unmoving body which elicited a rather loud groan before he fell silent again. “Yep. He’s dead.”

He didn’t have it in him to swat her foot away when she poked him, only having enough to roll onto his side and groan. He tried his hardest to keep himself composed, and even as he sat up, he was fully prepared to just get sick. 

The train screeched to a halt and Acnologia needed a moment to fully compose himself before he was able to stand up and leave, promptly acting as if he was not dying mere moments before he turned to Salem. 

“She’s here.” Was all he said as he watched her hop off the train. “I’ll need you to locate her since you know what she looks like.”

“You seem to know where she is a lot better than I can, Mister!” She shook her head and moved closer to him. “I could get lost!”

He raised an eyebrow. “You will be perfectly fine. I won’t go anywhere near Dawn City, not unless I have to. And I don’t. I’ll wait here.”

“How come? You may be all big and terrifying sometimes, but you’re really nice! Won’t they see how nice you are?” She tilted her head at him. 

He scoffed. “I am not known for being…  _ nice _ , as you say. You just remind me of someone.” It wasn’t far from the truth, and if he hadn’t had made that connection, he might have killed her like he had done with everyone else before her. 

“Huh? How come? Are you a big meanie, Mister?” Then she gasped. “Are you a killer, Mister? Like the dragons in your story?”

He looked down at her, wondering just how to answer. “I did what I had to to survive.” That was a lie. He didn’t do it to survive, none of it was for survival. He did it all because he loved her, he loved the family he had. What he did was for revenge. It was to get back at the dragons for taking and murdering innocent people.

He was no better than they were. He was no better than the monsters he had swore to destroy. 

“Did the dragons take your family away, Mister?” She looked up at him. “It’s okay, Mister. You have me now, I promise you won’t lose me! We can find her together, and I’ll protect you from bad people!”

“You’re a wind mage. You can’t do any protecting until you’re stronger.” He doubted she could ever protect him with such a power difference, but she could dream. 

“Don’t doubt me! I’ll have you know that I am quite strong with my magic, okay!” She pouted and jabbed a finger into his side. “Mister Motion Sickness!”

“Speak a word of what you saw on that train and I will leave you behind.” He narrowed his eyes at her before proceeding forward towards the bustling city. 

He received stares and strange looks, but it was nothing he hadn’t expected, especially since he was like a fish out of water here. He ignored them as best he could and left death glares to those he would revisit later. He was determined to follow this scent and put an end to this dragon slayer, whatever the cost. He would cleanse the world of all dragons, even if the last one would be him. He had long since grown tired of this world anyways, it wasn’t as if it would make a difference. 

“There she is, Mister!” Salem pointed towards a woman who sat outside a cafe, drinking what they both assumed to be either tea or coffee.

Their eyes met. It was simultaneous that both their eyes slowly widened when they just locked eyes. Neither of them moved for a moment, but Salem seemed very eager to wave and say hi to her. The pair stood rigid before she quickly darted through the crowd, disappearing. 

“That’s Nala?” Acnologia slowly looked down at Salem, his eyes wide as if he had seen a ghost. 

Salem nodded quickly. “Yes! That’s Nala! Gee, Mister, you look awfully pale… are you alright?” She tugged on his cloak, wanting him to lean down so she could feel his forehead for sign of fever. 

-

_ Her warm gaze was what he loved to wake up to every morning, but this morning was greeted by an empty bed and the smell of fresh food that wafted through the air.  _

_ He had work to do later on. Being a doctor on Montes Secreta was nothing like it was cut out to be, but with someone like her at his side, he was certain he could make it through the day if she promised some of her home cooked meals. _

_ When he finally pulled himself out of bed and into a clean set of clothing, he made his way to the kitchen where his most significant other stood, hand on her hip while the other was on the pan as she cooked.  _

_ “Morning.” He ran a hand through his messy hair and tousled it a little. _

_ “High heavens above!” The small woman yelped, nearly dropping the scathing pan on her foot as she practically jumped out of her skin. “Don’t do that! You could’ve killed me, you know that?” _

_ “A hot pan to the foot? We’re doctors. You and I both know the most that will amount to is a few blisters and bruising which can easily be healed.” He teased, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. “Whatcha making?” _

_ “Well, now I won’t tell you for scaring me like that!” She huffed lightly, playfully waving her hand in his face. “You’ll just have to sit and wait until I’m done.” _

_ “Oh, come on, Nala. You’re being too cruel to me, your loving boyfriend.” He wailed, chuckling to himself as he moved to sit in the dining room. “What will you do on your day off, hm?” _

_ “Oh, you know  _ exactly _ what I’m going to do.” She rolled her eyes at his question. “Sleeping and eating junk food. I’m surprised you don’t know that already., we’ve known each other since we were ten.” _

-

It was her. 

“We need to leave.” Was all he said as he turned on his heel, immediately wishing he was on the train and dying rather than be here reliving a past that was nearly impossible to get over in the first place. 

“Mister? Are you okay?” She followed after him as he hurriedly rushed to the train station. “I thought you hated trains!”

“I do hate trains.” He retorted, shaking his head. He just wanted to get away from Nala, from this place and the memory it shoved right back into his face. He  _ needed _ to get out of there to just think. He took the next train to dock at the station, wherever it was going, it had to be going away from here.

He stomached the train ride as best he could, sitting upright as he gazed outside the window, vacant of any other thought that wasn’t  _ her _ . How did he not connect the dots? Why didn’t he just kill her right then and there? She was a  _ dragon _ slayer, he would kill her to complete his goal so why did he hesitate? Did he wish she would love him as she used to, all those centuries ago? No, he knew that was far from possible. If she was alive, she knew all the things he had done. She would never love such a thing as he. Never. 

His hand clenched tightly and for a moment, he would’ve punched the windows out if it would make him feel better. He would’ve killed everyone on this damned train if it would make him feel better. 

“Mister Acno, are you okay?” Salem lightly tapped his knee with her foot, squeaking when she was met with his all but kind look. “S-Sorry…”

Anger filled him, rivalling what he felt the day he lost everything. He tightened a fist before abruptly slamming his hand through the window, shattering it and it’s matching windows in the rest of the cabin. 

Salem was gone when he turned to look, but he didn’t care. She was bound to leave when she realized just who he was. It didn’t matter to him regardless, there was only one person he wanted and it was Nala. She was alive this entire time and never once went to find him. She would pay dearly. She and the other dragon slayers will pay, they will pay for the sins of their dragons. 

Right after he was done getting sick. 

-

He left the train alone, but saw Salem’s curious eyes as he passed. He had business to attend to, and she was just holding him down from doing what had to be done. 

The rage that bubbled inside of him was enough, it was bubbling over and it was ready to burst. He didn’t care who watched, and as his body morphed into the dragon, he spared no time in frightening just about everyone in the village, but merely gave them a  _ brush _ with death. He flew over the mountains, following his instincts towards a massive aura that reeked of power. 


	5. Chapter Five

**Salem**

She watched in fear as a dragon flew into the distance, leaving a trail of death in his wake. She watched him, briefly looking down at the dragon toy Nala had given her. The resemblance was uncanny, the toy was modeled after her rather mysterious and angry friend.

Nala knew that mysterious rage filled man, so how come she ran when they saw her? Salem had many questions and hoped that waiting to ask who he was to her would guarantee some sort of answer. 

Being unaccompanied by someone meant that she could do nothing but wait to see if Nala would come here next, perhaps following  _ his _ trail as they had done with her. It was like a game of cat and mouse! It just wasn’t all that fun since neither of them seemed to be dealing with this all that well. She was curious as to why Acnologia reacted the way he did, destroying the windows like that. It was  _ scary _ .

Salem sat on a bench just outside the train station, swinging her legs back and forth as she waited to see if Nala would come. When she got bored, she stood and wandered through town, unsure of where she was and where she was going. After awhile of roaming aimlessly, she spotted Nala standing outside a small store, eating something.

“Miss!” She ran towards her, waving her hands wildly. “Mister turned into a dragon and stormed off in a bunch of rage! It was terrifying!” 

Nala blinked before looking down at her. “What? Acnologia did  _ what _ ?” 

“He got mad on the train after he saw you run. He punched the windows and then when the train stopped he….he left! As the dragon like my toy!” She held it up to show her. “He’s very angry, I think.”

“Of course he’s angry. All he seems to have these days is his temper.” She sighed and shook her head, frowning. “Do you know where he went?” 

“Nope!” Salem chirped, biting her lip. “He went over the mountains, I think. But I don’t know if he’d appreciate someone following him.”

Nala just sighed before finishing her small snack. “Follow me.”

Salem followed after her quietly, looking down at the dragon every so often, questioning who he truly was and what he could do. She was both scared and intrigued. What kind of mage could turn into a dragon like Nala anyways?

“Nala, who is he to you?” She tilted her head at the mage, the question being far too important to her. 

“A long time ago, we used to be boyfriend and girlfriend!” Nala laughed the moment Salem’s face scrunched up in disgust. “But something happened and we’ve been apart for quite a long time. He’s angry because of what happened.”

“Then why not talk to him? Talking works!” She questioned. 

“Because his temper has hurt him so much that I don’t think he’ll remember me, or if he’ll be anything like how I remembered if he does remember me.” She shook her head with a small sigh. “He’s changed so much that he’s nothing like who he used to be.”

Salem nodded. “Trauma does that to a guy.”

Nala stared at her quietly before shaking her head. “How was he when he was with you aside from the windows?”

“He was pretty nice, standoffish I think, but definitely not as violent and angry. He seemed stubborn, too! But I think he was just lonely.” Salem responded, tapping her chin lightly. “You care about him an awful lot, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, Salem! You care a lot about certain things too, so you’d want to know that they are okay, right? It’s the same thing as that!” She nodded, smiling lightly. “Acnologia and I were inseparable back then. If I knew he would turn out like this, I would have done whatever I could to save him from himself.”

“My momma used to say something about that, but I don’t really remember.” Salem shrugged lightly. “Whatever it was I’m sure it was wise.” 

“I feel like there was a point in you saying that, but it just didn’t happen.” She snorted lightly before bringing Salem into a hotel. “You can stay here with me until we can figure out what else to do. I’ve got to return to Fairy Tail anyways.”

“Fairy Tail? You joined only the most awesomest guild in the entire world?!” She looked up at Nala, eyes wide with pure admiration. “Can I come with you when you go?”

“It’ll be fairly empty since everyone is at the S-Class exam on Tenrou, but sure! You might like how quiet it actually is.” She nodded, ruffling her hair.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is follow acno again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yeah so i fucking DIED im so sorry guys also like please leave comments of encouragement so I know that im not writing to ghosts lmao

He could feel their fear as he butt heads with the guild master, pressing him further and further into the ground with his brute strength before abruptly pulling away just to bash his head against the old man, knocking him backwards. 

He kept an eye on the rest of the group, his tail viciously swiping across the land, knocking trees into their paths. He didn’t want any of them going anywhere. 

It was instinctive. Every last bit of it was as if it wasn’t really him deciding what he would do, like the dragon was controlling  _ him _ . He attacked and viciously destroyed as much of Tenrou as he could, but deep within him, in that tiny sliver of awareness, he knew there was something here that was protecting these worthless failures. Something keeping him from doing his worst. 

-

When Acnologia was more aware of his surroundings, he was, at best, very discombobulated with the sudden shift in surroundings. One moment he was flying, a brief glimpse of his destruction, and then he was here. 

He had long since lost full control of his dragonic persona, but even that small sliver of awareness was enough to tell him of the things he had done. He enjoyed it, both as a dragon and as a dragon slayer. Making everyone feel as he once did was a specialty of his, but this time it was more invigorating. Dragon slayers were on that island and he basked in their pain and suffering as if it were the blood of his enemies. 

The past him was gone. He refused to be taken as a fool as that dragon had, he refused to be taken advantage of. He helped, and he healed, and this was what he got in return. He would exact the pain of what he endured on everyone else, even if it did this. 

They dealt a mediocre amount of damage to him, but their guild master was quite the strong guy and the hold he had on Acnologia’s head and neck might’ve pulled something. The rest of his body was only mildly scratched and bruises, nothing like what he did to them, but it was still a remarkable feat. He was losing his touch. Boredom loosened his nerves and abilities - something he’d work on later.

Sore was how his entire body, mainly neck and above, felt. There was nothing he could do about it except wait for it to go away unless he was ever going to be willing for a massage which was never going to happen any time soon.

A twig snapped and he looked up. “I know you’re here.” He droned, head leaning back against a tree with only mild discomfort. “Unless you want me to kill you, I’d suggest revealing yourself.”

“For a four hundred year old dragon, you are quite stupid.” Nala stepped forth from the brush, quickly moving to sit in front of him to keep him from going anywhere. “Hello, Acnologia.”

He chuffed, clearly displeased with her arrival. “I don’t recall my ability to speak with dead people. How odd.” He rolled his eyes before turning to look at her with a rather sinister glint in his eyes. “You’ve gotten stronger since I last knew you. But death might do that to someone, I suppose.”

“Acnologia, don’t.” She warned, voice stern like it had always been. “I never died, but I know that doesn’t account for the four hundred years of never talking to you. I meant to, I did, but you were always so….  _ violent  _ and unhinged. I was worried.”

“I don’t make it a habit to kill people I know, but who’s to say since all the people I know are dead.” He narrowed his eyes at her, his stubbornness becoming as clear as day. “Why are you here? Come to rub it in my face how much of a  _ monster _ I’ve become?”

“You know I’d never do such a thing, not to you. I came because I’m worried. You’ve spent so long destroying and killing. You’re nothing like how you used to be. You’re destroying yourself just as much as you’re destroying the world around you.” She wanted to reach out and hold him, it was clear that even he could tell that she wanted to do it. “You’re a dragon, but that doesn’t necessarily make you a monster.”

“Then what does? The thousands of people I’ve killed? The innocent families I’ve ended? What makes me a monster in your eyes?” He scoffed, staring at her as his gaze softened. “I am not who you remembered me to be, and you are not who I remembered you to be.” 

Rich coming from someone who forgot who she was and briefly saw memories that had blurred faces and lacked details. 

“We both have changed quite a bit, haven’t we?” She questioned lightly, reaching out to grab his hand before he could snatch it away. “But you haven’t killed me, yet, so you  _ haven’t  _ changed as much as you think.”

He watched her hand as it inched closer, wondering why she acted as if he was a scared animal. “You’re a dragon slayer. You smell of dragon. I may not have killed you yet, but my endgame is that  _ all _ dragons will die. The world is better off without them.”

“What of you? You are not just a dragon slayer, but a dragon as well. Will you kill yourself once you are the last remaining dragon?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yes.” He replied and craned his neck, hissing in discomfort. His eyes zeroed in on a mark emblazoned on her shoulder. “You’re part of that Fairy Tail guild, aren’t you?”

She nodded before narrowing her eyes. “What did you do?”

He cracked a sinister grin. “You should get going. Wouldn’t want to inconvenience you any further than you already are. We may have been lovers in a past life, Nala, but today I acknowledge you as my enemy. You should leave before I decide I’m tired of your company.”

“Acnologia, I know for a fact that you will  _ never _ lay a finger on me. Let me stay a little while with you before I return to Salem.” She scolded lightly, scooting to sit beside him. “You look like you need a friend.”

“I don’t  _ need _ anyone, Nala. I am perfectly capable of living on my own.” He moved away from her and hissed as he stumbled to his feet. “Whatever we had in the past ended the moment you never told me you had survived, it ended the moment you became my enemy. There is nothing to us, Nala. Not anymore.” 

“We both know that isn’t true. Acnologia, I love you and it is very clear that you still love me.” She stood after him, grabbing his arm. “Look at me, Acnologia. You try to push people away to protect yourself, but you are only ensuring your downfall!”

“Love? Love doesn’t exist, Nala. It is fo -” He was cut off when Nala grabbed his face, tugging him down to her level. “What are you doing?”

“I know you better than you think I do, you know. You may deny it, but some part of me knows that you crave the love we once had. Tell me if I’m wrong.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “I want to help you. I want to help you move on from this.” 

“I don’t…. I don’t need your help.” He shoved her hands away from his face, his gaze faltering as he remembered just how long it had last been since he felt the gentle touch of another. He frowned and shook his head. “It won’t work. Whatever image you have of me is dead.”

She stood away, eyeing him curiously. “Maybe, but I’ve always known you better than you have ever known yourself.” She quickly turned to look in the direction of where she came before she disappeared. 

Acnologia blinked at her fleeting figure. “Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He grumbled, kicking a clump of dirt. “Spouting nonsense like that. Who does she think she is?”

Despite it being blatantly clear that he did not want her affections, or anything to do with her, he found himself wishing she had stayed just a tad bit longer. It frustrated him how easily he had fallen back into wishing he could love her again, but he forced himself to understand where he stood on the matter. His heart may yearn for her, yes, but he will just have to simply destroy it. Easy peasy. 

He wasn’t going to lie, while he  _ is _ mad at her, seeing her alive and well was refreshing. At least one of them could be happy, it was only fair it was her. She never seemed to do anything wrong, the golden child so to say. He liked her for that reason, at least back then he did. She was always so invincible to him. 

“What does she know?” He waved his hands aggressively, annoyed by the words that echoed in his mind. “She’s a cheater, a traitor, a liar!”

The soreness in his neck didn’t disappear as he wandered aimlessly through the forest, piecing together the conversation he had had with Nala, but none of it stayed in his mind for long. He was tired, so very tired. One of these days he would get his ultimate wish, to be cured of the inevitable boredom this plain world had brought to him. 

The longer he existed on this plane, the longer he forgot who he was, who he truly was. The kind doctor he once was was only a brief memory from a time that no longer existed, from a time where he was truly at his best, at his highest. He remembered what he could with a certain fondness he didn’t know he was capable of. But none of it could cure the dull ache in his chest, or in his mind, when he thought of who Nala had fallen in love with. It was not him, it was a man who’s name was long forgotten. 

The hatred that had consumed him was finally dimming, like a candle that had been burning for centuries. He knew nothing but the hatred that had corrupted him, how could he exist if there was no hatred burning in his soul? His life was built on the anger he had gained throughout his life, without it, he was certain, he would be nothing but a shell of who he was now. 

The earth felt lifeless beneath his hand, as if was reflecting how he felt. Cold, lifeless,  _ alone _ . Nala was right, she mostly always was when it came to his well being, but oh how she was right. He was alone, the worst one could ever be when you were like  _ him _ . He wondered why he had ever thought to push her away, but at the same time his mind said it was for his safety that she not be near him. The things he’s done doesn’t warrant a happy ending, he knew that. He wouldn’t dare humor such thoughts. 

Consumed by hatred, but what was he? He wasn’t human anymore, but he wasn’t entirely dragon. He could say he was a disappointment to all that Montes Secreta had created, but he knew there was more to this wallowing in self-pity than already figuring out you’re a 

disappointment to everything your mother, whoever she was, worked hard to give you. 

He didn’t even remember his own mother, or his father. He didn’t remember what it was like to be a child, to feel no fear in the face of adventure. He didn’t remember. He prided himself on memory, once, back when he was a doctor, now he was grasping for things that weren’t there. Grasping for a life he could never get back, just to make a woman who let him think she was dead be happy. She wanted the old him back, and so did he, he realized. 

Shaking his thoughts from his mind, at least for now, Acnologia made his way from the quaint forest to a hidden cove a long distance away. He was thankful to have existed long enough to see this place, but unfortunately it was also inhabited by the worst person known to man. Porlyusica. 

She, oftentimes, just left him be and that was that. Sometimes she’d watch him from the window of her house, other times she could just leave him alone entirely. This was not that day. 

Porlyusica was a determined, yet strict individual and Acnologia’s constant appearing this close to Magnolia meant she had to cover his magic aura so that no one - uninvited - might come here in hopes of killing a dragon. She didn’t fear him and was about the only person capable of knocking any sort of sense into him without fear of being killed in response. 

She stood in the doorway, arms crossed as she watched him. “Do you always make a habit to disrupt the daily peace?”

“Do you always make it a habit to be a bitch?”

She whacked the back of his head. “You’re a literal child trapped in the body of an adult. It’s shameful.”

“Damn, old prune!” He hissed, but kept it hidden that the whack actually made his neck feel a lot better. “Just leave me be!

“And let you bother the tranquility of my home? No.” She scoffed at his response before squinting at him. “You are at war with yourself.”

“Will you just buzz off, you old hag? I’m  _ fine _ !” 

“You are not fine, Acnologia. As much as it pains me to say this -”

“Then don’t.”

“As much as it pains me to say this,” She continued, “you seem to be struggling with something and while you most likely deserve it, I will offer my ear and my advice if you need it. This offer will not return again, so I would be wise to use it.” 

He looked at her, clearly doubting her words. “There’s nothing to be discussed, Grandeeney. You know as well as I do that nothing you say or do will help me.”

“My name is Porlyusica. Now, I’m glad we’re on the same page with how we feel about you.” She narrowed her eyes before sighing. “It’s a girl isn’t. You’re struggling over a  _ girl _ . Is the infamous dragon of the apocalypse so weak and pathetic that he is struggling with a girl?”

Acnologia looked up at her, annoyed. “It is not some  _ girl _ . What would you even know about that? You live in the middle of nowhere, you’re a hermit, Porlyusica. A hermit.” 

“And you’re a ruthless killer with girl problems and a short temper.” She retorted, clearing her throat lightly. “You are nothing like you say you are. You are not some undefeatable monster like you make yourself out to be. You think you are all big and bad, but you are nothing. If you were truly as inhuman and monstrous as you made everyone believe, a little girl problem would mean nothing to you.”

“Like you’re any better. You had a crush on that guild master.” He shook his head lightly, looking down. “I’m not here to bother you, Porlyusica. It’s quieter out here, I just want to be left alone.” 

“Come inside, Acnologia. I’ve got tea ready. When you are done, we may return to our silent lives.” She sighed, but didn’t wait for him as she wandered into her little home.

Acnologia watched her disappear behind the door, letting out a light huff when she was gone. What did she think she was getting at, ridiculing him like that? He was a lot more terrifying than she made him out to be, after all, he earned the title of  _ dragon of the apocalypse _ . He didn’t get that title by sitting and looking pretty, that’s for sure.

He angrily stood up and huffed and chuffed his way into her home, scowling at all the medicinal decorations and tools. It reminded him of a past he wasn’t fond of, but it was something he could hold on to. He could hold on to the disgust, the hate, the annoyance. He could grasp at hatred, but not whatever it was he was feeling for Nala or even himself.

“Give me some of that damn tea.” He huffed, sitting down on the cot that was off to the side. “This place smells weird.” 

“You’re just smelling yourself.” Porlyusica handed him a cup, moving to sit over by herself.

“No, it’s just your old lady smell!” 

He furrowed his brow and took a sip of the tea. He wouldn’t dare give her the satisfaction of her knowing that he enjoyed the tea she had made, especially when it was something he had never previously enjoyed. High heavens above, he hated feeling  _ emotions _ . 


	7. UPDATE

Okay, okay, I am SO sorry for not updating in like five years. My sincerest apologies on that part but I've just been in a rut with everything right now. I appreciate your patience and I hope you give my other content a look too! In regards to this fic in particular, it would be nice to hear from you guys, what you want to see happen, etc. I also want to go back and go over some things and change things too if need be, but I appreciate all of you, more than you know. This is the first time something of mine has ever gotten so many views and it means a lot. 

So, yeah! Please comment what you want to see or stuff like that, be patience, and thank you for being here! :)


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